[Photos] A beginning and an end

Today, two photographers bring you snapshots from two different communities: the first in Burundi as it prepares to begin a World Vision development program, and the second in Sri Lanka as it completes its program and celebrates the work that has been accomplished.

Our first photographer, Jon Warren, is the director of story and photo resources at World Vision U.S.; the second is Matthew Paul Turner, who is our blogger liaison and has traveled with us on blogger trips to Bolivia and Sri Lanka.

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When World Vision establishes a new Area Development Program (ADP), as shown here in Burundi, we come alongside the community and partner with its residents in custom-designing a program that will best serve their needs.

Venantie's children are registered for World Vision sponsorship. The family helps write and sign a letter to a potential sponsor. (Photo: Jon Warren/World Vision)

World Vision begins by registering the children in the community, which gives them access to the benefits of child sponsorship-- clean water, nutritious food, healthcare, education, and more -- while they wait to connect with sponsors.

Families bring their children for the initial registration of children for sponsorship in Gasorwe ADP, funded by World Vision donors in the United States. Histories are taken, children are weighed and measured, and photographs are taken for sponsorship folders. (Photo: Jon Warren/World Vision)

The positive impact of World Vision’s new programs brings smiles to the children’s faces from the very beginning!

Families bring their children to be registered for World Vision sponsorship. (Photo: Jon Warren/World Vision)

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When the community is ready, World Vision concludes its work in an ADP -- shown here in Sri Lanka -- once the customized goals have been met.

These goals may have included developing wells to provide better access to clean water…

A water well in Sri Lanka. (Photo: Matthew Paul Turner)

… or building schools to promote access to education, among many other kinds of World Vision projects.

A school built in Sri Lanka with World Vision's help. (Photo: Matthew Paul Turner)

Our vision is “life in all its fullness” for all children…

One of many World Vision sponsored children watching the ADP closing celebrations. (Photo: Matthew Paul Turner)

World Vision banners fly in the wind over the ADP closing ceremonies. (Photo: Matthew Paul Turner)

…while the children, families, and staff celebrated the work that World Vision had completed in that community. Matthew Paul Turner recaps the experience:

It was huge, a community-wide celebration that began at 9:30 in the morning with a parade…and this wasn't just any parade. This was a parade that lasted for more than four hours, one that included a host of motorcyclists, a caravan of World Vision cars and vans, busloads after busloads of people, ordinary people who on some level had been affected by World Vision's work over the last 15 years.

"It was huge, a community-wide celebration that began at 9:30 in the morning with a parade." (Photo: Matthew Paul Turner)

The community is throwing World Vision a going-away party! It's not a sad party. It's a happy occasion, a day that that this community has been dreaming about and aiming toward for 15 years, an occasion that has special significance for the World Vision staff. "In the beginning, those first celebrations were 100 percent organized by World Vision, and today, THIS party is 100 percent organized the community!" Sudesh smiles when he says that. And with good reason! Today is a long time coming, a day that showcases the fruit of the community a la World Vision's dedication.

World Vision's ADPs and community development begin with child sponsorship. Join us! Fight poverty holistically for just $35 a month by sponsoring a child.